Where She Keeps It
by spacEnigma83
Summary: I'm taking Hooks words out of context here… he says something to the effect of. "I want to hurt his heart. Belle is where he keeps it." I mean it has absolutely nothing to do with Belle, Rumple, or Hook but the theme of where a person keeps there heart is my point. This is a "conversation" story between David and Mary Margaret.
1. Chapter 1

**Emma just seemed to really look to David a lot in the last few episodes of season two and honestly what Mother wouldn't feel a little hurt by that right? So here is a conversation between David and Mary Margaret... a.k.a. our very own Snow White and Prince Charming. She simply needs some encouragement.**

**Where She Keeps It**

"Mary Margaret?" David calls to her as she sits down on board the Jolly Roger. She does not acknowledge him so he makes his way over to sit down beside her. "You alright?" He asks her as he takes one of her now cold hands into his.

"I'm fine… I'm just… tired." She says with a sigh and a small shrug.

"Hey… I really think you need to have a talk with Emma." He says quietly.

"What? I mean… why?" She asks somewhat stunned by his suggestion.

"She seems a little lost. I know she's worried about Henry but I think she's also still grieving over… Neal." He says with a tilt of his head.

"Well why don't you go talk to her then? I'm sure you have more than enough words of wisdom to share with her." She offers meekly.

"I… I don't think I'm the one she needs right now." He says as he turns to try and get some eye contact with his wife. "At least that's not how I'm seeing it."

"She's been more responsive to you lately. I don't see what she needs me for at the moment." She says simply with a shrug of her arm.

David lets out a slight chuckle. "You sound a bit jealous and I don't think you have reason to be. She needs you more than you know she's just… well… she's quite proud and stubborn really. Not a good combination especially being that she is our daughter." He offers with a smile.

"David... Stop trying to make me feel better. She doesn't _NEED_ me. She keeps turning to you every time something comes up. When Henry ran off from her and Neil she had you while I was… locked away in the apartment trying to get over tricking Regina in to killing Cora." She frowns feeling a bit helpless. "When she came to me with her concerns about Tamara I didn't even stand by her... in fact I did the opposite and discouraged her. Every time she comes to me with something I respond the wrong way." She pulls away from him slightly. "I'm completely lost here. I'm trying to… to be the best person I can be for her and I am ruining every chance that I get with her. Even back at the diner when I tried to get her to understand how doing the hard thing was the right thing. She didn't even accept my answer. Before she was able to come up with a response she looked to you David. It was like it didn't even matter what I thought anymore. She only agreed to go to try and help Regina after she looked at you. So tell me… what good am I to her?" The woman says as tears start to flow from her eyes.

David let's out another breathy chuckle at hearing this. "Do you know why she looks at me?"

"No…" She responds in an annoyed but broken voice. "Why?"

"You are her weakness." He says as he looks his wife over.

"What?" She whispers in confusion.

"I am where she finds her strength but you… you are the place that she keeps her heart. You don't see that?" He asks with a shake of his head.

"I don't understand." She grumbles shaking her head and turning away from him.

"When she turns away from you it's because she's trying to fight her heart. She's trying to fight her reaction to her emotions so when she's conflicted she can't bear to look at you. It's the same reaction I have to you. You have this ability to wear your emotions on your sleeve. You are terrible at hiding how you feel while she… she struggles to hide what she feels. When she looks at you and you so easily convey your love, your care, you kind heartedness she is almost compelled to feel the same way and from what I have gathered it makes her angry, no doubt angry with herself. To me it's a tell-tale sign that she thinks this to be a weakness." He says all of this as if it is the most obvious of explanations.

"How do you know this? I've spent far more time with her than you have…" She begins to say.

"That was 'all you' when we first met." He says with a hearty chuckle. "You tried so hard to hide who you were, how you felt, about anything and everything. Even how you felt about me. Do you remember? You rambled on about how you wanted to be in a place that was secluded where you could never get hurt. Remember all that?" He asks with a smile while nudging her playfully with his elbow. "It wasn't until we finally declared our feelings for one another that you didn't care about that anymore. If you were in pain you cried, if you were in love you smiled, and when you were happy it just spread around until you made everyone else happy." He shakes his head to clear his thoughts before he finally adds. "Emma needs to let go and she won't do that with me. She'll do that with you."

"She let you comfort her when she told us about Neil getting killed." Mary Margaret offers. "I'm sure she'll be responsive if you just go to her…"

"No I tried that already. She doesn't want that from me. She wants to let go though I can tell… just not with me. She'll let me hold her yes. She'll let me get close to her now and that's huge, but she is not going to let go with me." When he sees that her mouth is open ready to argue he continues. "You say that you have spent far more time with her than I have. Tell me now, before the curse broke, did you ever see her let go with anyone?"

"Before the curse?" She stops to think. "Well… no. I mean anytime things got to be too much she… well she always left the apartment. I never saw her try to talk to anyone. I don't think I ever saw her cry… not… not before the curse." She remains quiet and then realizes, "There was one time… she... almost did."

"When?" He asks curiously.

"When I… oh…" She laughs at what she is about to reveal to her husband. "When I ran away from jail." She says with a grimace.

"What?" He asks in surprise.

"Shush…" She says as she looks around anxiously. "That's all in the past now. The point is she… well she was… she was offering me a chance to make a run for it or go back and face things together. It was actually the first time she ever insinuated that I was like family to her. She… she told me that no one had ever been there for her before except… me." She says quite stunned.

"Well there you go." He says now. "So even before the curse she looked to you… and what about after?" He pushes.

"Once." She says as she stares ahead and sighs heavily. "When we went to our castle to find the wardrobe, she caught me off guard actually. She was trying to apologize to me about something trivial, burning the wardrobe down. Out of nowhere she just fell apart before my eyes and she let me hold her." She says with a smile. "I mean afterwards she pulled away… I think she felt a little embarrassed by it."

"She felt weak. You see? She does that." He says with a knowing smile. "I'm right."

"Don't let it go to your head okay." She says rolling her eyes at him.

"My point is that she trusts you enough to let you see her at her worst. She won't do that with me… at least not yet and if she doesn't do that if she doesn't let go then she's just going to let all of this fester and we both know she never functions well when she's driven by emotion. Getting Henry back is going to take all of us and right now I don't think we have… _her_. Like I said she's lost." He says with a sad smile.

"She's been good at avoiding us since we set foot on this ship though. I don't think…"

"Stop." He says standing up and reaching down to offer her a hand up. "Stop making excuses. You have been waiting for the chance to be her mother. I know you have and now she needs you."

Mary Margaret stares at her husband now and she can't help but smile. He smiles as well before wrapping her up in his arms. When she pulls away her smile is still there on her face. "I guess I'll go talk to our daughter then."

"You do that. I'll be out here… enjoying the scenery." He says with a smile as he clasps his hands behind his head.

****There can be more... but it will turn in to a mother daughter situation. I'm shrugging my shoulders over here. **

**Drop me a review. ;) Thanks for reading.****


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Mary Margaret makes her way towards the stern of the ship but cannot seem to catch a glimpse of Emma anywhere. Instead she finds Regina sitting on the steps just near the entrance to the galley. She meets eyes with the woman and can't decide whether to smile or remain stagnant. "Regina…" She calls to the woman in a low voice. "Have you seen Emma?"

"She's in the galley." Regina offers in a meek voice which is a bit unnerving but she would have to come to terms with a _'changed Regina'_ later. She needed to find Emma first. She makes her way down the stairs but when she doesn't find Emma in the galley she moves on through to the sleeping quarters. There she finds Emma standing. She cannot see her face as she is turned away from the entrance so she calls to her. "Emma I…" She doesn't know what to say exactly.

"I just… needed some quiet." Emma offers but her voice in barely above a whisper, no doubt she is holding back as to not show how broken she is at the moment.

"Do you want me to leave?" The woman asks quietly, trying to keep the weariness in her voice from coming through.

"Did you need something?" Emma asks choosing to ignore the question, turning her head slightly to the side but still does not turn to face the woman behind her.

She takes a few steps closer to the blond but does not reach out to her. Instead of answering she asks, "Do you?"

Emma sighs loudly and lets her shoulders fall forward but still she does not turn around. "It's hard to run away when you're on a ship." She says in a breathy laugh.

"Yes... I guess it is." Mary Margaret offers with a laugh of her own. "Is that what you were trying to do here?"

"No. I just... I don't want to go out there... like this." She says and even though she is gesturing at herself while continuing to face away Mary Margaret doesn't need to see her to understand what she's describing. She can hear it in her voice. She can imagine the tear stains on her cheeks.

"I understand." She says unmoving. When she can't decide what to do next she sighs in frustration with herself. "Do you... want to talk about it?"

"No." She whispers and clears her throat a little. "I don't want to talk."

"Okay." She says with a nod though the blonde obviously can't see her do this. She takes a second to look around the room, noting how dark it is, a place anyone might come to hideaway for a moment of peace. She thinks that perhaps if given some space Emma might be more willing to open up later on. David can't blame her for trying can he? "Well... I'll be outside if you need me." She gently offers and turns to make her way out. She does not make it through the doorway though as a cold hand subtly takes hold and pulls at her wrist. She turns around to find Emma facing her, eyes red and bleary, a frown on her face.

Emma stands there and says nothing. She simply stares at a spot on the woman's chest, not allowing herself to make eye contact. Mary Margaret can't help but furrow her brow in confusion but then when Emma's eyes suddenly find hers she understands. She can plainly see this as the unspoken request of a child needing some comfort.

She moves forward to slowly wrap her arms around Emma's shoulders and draws her in close. When she feels Emma nestle her head against her own shoulder she smiles to herself allowing a few happy tears to fall. "It's okay. I've got you." She says in a whispers into her ear. "You're alright." She says rubbing her back soothingly and there they stand for a few minutes.

At first Emma remains silent but soon her sobs grow louder and her body trembles. Mary Margaret moves her over to sit down in a bunk that is close by. Emma does not release her hold though. She takes a handful of the brunette's coat and simply holds on tighter.

Mary Margaret runs her fingers through long blonde hair simply waiting for this to pass. Allowing Emma to release this pain or fear or whatever it was she didn't want to talk about. She just waits but can't help but enjoy this chance to be with her. She says nothing as she feels Emma pull away slightly, but only so that she may sit side by side with her now.

She keeps her head on her Mother's shoulder but that has more to do with a warm hand that seems to keep her there. When she pulls her hands to rest in her own lap another warm hand reaches out to grab on. She takes a deep breath and releases it in a sigh. "Mom." She whispers to herself.

"Hm?" Mary Margaret hums as a response.

"No... I just..." Emma pulls her head away from her shoulder now. "I just... wanted to say it now... that we aren't in some sort of life or death situation." She says in a breathy laugh and she sits up to face the woman properly now.

Mary Margaret smiles and reaches out to wipe away a few errant tears from Emma's face with the swipe of her finger. "Right." She says with a nod. "The mines..." She says in understanding now. "You... only called us Mom and Dad because you thought..."

"I thought it was gonna be the last time I ever saw you. I didn't want to let it all go down without you ever hearing... _that.._. from me." She says with another breathy laugh in an attempt to fight off the chance this might become an intense moment for either of them.

"... and now you're stuck with us on a ship with nowhere to run." Mary Margaret offers with a bright smile.

"Yeah." Emma says rolling her eyes. "I broke that damn curse and can't seem to get a moment alone." She says quite sarcastically as she sniffles to ward off any lingering tears.

"Does it really bother you though?" Mary Margaret asks with a tilt of her head.

"No... not really." She says with a low chuckle as she ducks her head to hide a blush from admitting such a thing. Mary Margaret smiles at hearing this but then they both remain quiet for a moment. The ship's casual swaying causing a lull in conversation.

Emma looks up and sees that the smile has faded from her mother's face. She sighs and then decides to offer up, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" She asks quite confused.

"For... I don't know..." Emma shrugs at a loss. "I don't know how to... how to be someone's daughter." She says with a confused shake of her head.

"... and you think I know how to be a mother? I have no idea what I'm doing here." She offers with a laugh. "I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. It was much easier just being your friend."

"Well even then you acted like my mother." Emma says laughing at her now.

"I did not." The woman defends with a gasp.

"You did so. You got after me all the time..." Emma starts to say with a tilt of her head. "You were always getting into my business. I mean when I first met you... you wouldn't leave me alone! You were asking all these questions about me and my life and I did all I could to avoid you. I was always trying to run away from you." She confesses laughing heartily now.

"You tried... I remember you would leave the apartment but you would always come back." Mary Margaret offers with a nod but she is still maintaining a happy exposure. "Even after you ran off... with Henry? You came back then. I was so angry with you." She says now and meets eyes with the blonde.

"I know..." She whispers. "I hated that I had to come back. I knew that meant I was gonna have to face you. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I mean I never had anyone who cared about me enough to be... upset with me, but there you were in full on Mama mode. It was awful." She says with a gasp of a laugh. "You were mad. You were yelling at me. You were calling me out on my crap! I wanted to cry then but I didn't want you to see me that way."

"Why does it bother you that anyone would see you that way Emma? There's nothing wrong with falling apart." Mary Margaret offers as she reaches out to take Emma's hand.

"I just feel like it makes me look... like a baby or like I need someone. I've gone my whole life without needing anyone. It's hard for me to... to just let go and give in." She says in a stutter not sure if she's expressing herself the way she means to. "You make it hard for me to fight."

"I do?" She asks in surprise.

"Yeah... You do." Emma says with a nod. "You just... I don't know..." Emma growls in frustration with herself. "I just look at you and I react. You... you worry and I sense it. You love me and I can feel it and it makes me mad because... then I feel pathetic like I'm giving in to something I really shouldn't be." She says with a discouraged frown.

Mary Margaret offers a lopsided grin, "I hate when your father is right." She mutters as she thinks back on David's pep talk to her.

"Right about what?" Emma asks quite curious.

"I thought..." Mary Margaret shakes her head as if it's nothing of importance. "That you were avoiding me because you didn't want me."

Emma chuckles. "Why would you think that?"

"I just assumed... with the way you were pleading with us at the diner and you..." She doesn't have a good explanation now that she's looking for it. "It felt like you were brushing aside my comments and looking to your father."

"So… you were jealous?" Emma says with a drop of her head as her eyes search out her mothers in a playful manner. "Seriously?"

"I was not jealous." She offers while avoiding eye contact. "I was just hurt." She admits with a grimace. "I was hurt that you were willing to turn to your father before you would accept what I was saying to you."

Emma sighs but smiles and pulls at the hand that still keeps a firm hold of hers. "Well you're wrong. That's not why I looked at him. You were getting emotional on me. I looked at him because if I kept looking at you I was just gonna fall apart." She says smiling and then when the brunette finally meets her gaze she continues with, "I didn't want Henry to see me that way. I had to look anywhere but you if I was going to handle that situation with any sort of strength or dignity."

Mary Margaret smiles at these words and thinks in her head on David's pep talk once more, _'I hate when he's right. He is where she finds her strength and I am where... she keeps her heart.' _With these thoughts in mind her eyes start to glaze over and she smirks at Emma whose eyes threaten to do much of the same.

"Oh for the love of... Just hug me already!" Emma growls before she lurches forward and wraps her arms around the woman. "I finally stopped crying. Don't start me up again." She mumbles.

"I'm sorry." Mary Margaret whispers in a laugh induced sob. "I can't make those sort of promises."

****So how was that? - I had a good guest suggestion for a David Emma moment. I don't have one yet but now that the idea is on the table... I'll see what I can do. :)****


	3. Chapter 3

**** I want to apologize for the length of this. It's short. I tried really hard to make it longer but I can't seem to fit anything else in to it so please accept this Emma David Chapter for what it's worth and be sure to review. :) Thank you.****

**Chapter 3**

After a while the two women make their way back up to the main deck hand in hand until Emma turns to her mother. "I think I'm gonna go have a chat with Dad." She says this with an ever cheesy smile merely to appease her own sense of awkwardness at using the endearment.

Mary Margaret nods and gives her hand a squeeze before releasing her.

Emma finds David at the Bow of the ship simply staring out in to the distance, his arms crossed over his chest as he stands in deep thought. She smiles at the sight of him and slowly makes her way closer. "You think you have me all figured out do you?" She says with a hint of playfulness.

He turns to the side to see her standing there and cannot help but smile. "What do you mean?"

"Oh… just how you seem to know so much about me and what I need." She says with a shrug as she turns to meet his gaze.

He nods. "Oh you mean because I knew you needed you mother?" He grins quite proud of himself. "It didn't take long for me to figure out that you and I have the same weakness. I mean sure it came as a surprise but it makes sense." He says with a shrug.

She sighs quite contently as she looks out over the distance. "I don't know how I feel about all that." She ponders aloud.

"About what?"He asks, starting to feel a bit concerned by her comment.

"About you knowing me." She says with a bothered shrug and furrow of her brow. She turns to meet his gaze. "I didn't really know how it was going to be with you. I mean with her it was... well... I wouldn't say easier but she already acted like such a mother to me it just fit. With you... and now..." She cannot manage to finish her thought. "You just..." She shrugs.

"I know." He says with a grin and a bow of his head.

"Stop... doing that." She says with a touch of terror which causes David to panic.

"I... uh..." He stutters and shakes his head not sure what he has done wrong.

She laughs and grabs at his arm to put him at ease. "No... I just meant stop reading my mind. I don't like it."

His facial features relax and he lets out a sigh. "Oh, I can't help that... and I know you might not believe this but it actually really scares me that I can do that." He says with a hearty chuckle. "I mean your mother and I have always been able to communicate with little more than a glance and a nod but here I am... as you say... with the sudden ability to read your mind. It terrifies me but then I guess that's normal when you're a parent."

Emma smiles at hearing this and links her arm through his as they both lean on a banister in front of them. "I guess so." She offers quietly.

"We are literally in the same boat when it comes to parenting." He says with another chuckle.

"Oh... terribly cheesy joke." She chides.

"It's not every day that I'm on a ship and can use that reference... I couldn't resist." He offers with a shrug as he places his warm hand over the one she has linked with his arm. "I imagine though that you have the same sort of relationship with Henry don't you?"

"Well... I don't really have him figured out the way you seem to have me all figured out. I don't know what he's thinking or how he's going to react to things. He's got a little bit of Neal in him and a little bit of me which explains all the rebelliousness and the trickery..." She says as they both laugh. "... but because of Regina I think he's a lot more mature and grounded than he should be. I think that is what throws me off. He's got this... this completely optimistic and hopeful side of him that I don't relate to at all."

"Oh that's not Regina, that's genetics. He's just like his grandmother." David suggests.

"Oh... right. She might have mentioned to me once that optimism must run in the family. I... only told her it must have skipped a generation." She says with a shrug.

"For every naysayer there is someone to win us over. I mean I don't always have the faith that your mother does but I love her enough to do what she asks of me, to stand by her choices and decisions."

"Yeah well... If it weren't for her and Henry I probably would have let Regina die for us in the mines. I kind of feel guilty about all that. Some savior… more like selfish and insensitive jerk." She says now with a discouraged frown.

"Hey..." he says as he squeezes her hand. "It was a tough decision to make. I don't blame you. I might have done the same if it meant protecting all of you. I mean it was your mother's decision after all to send you through the wardrobe and skip the curse. I thought she was out of her mind but I did what she asked because she had faith that you would come back to us and that was enough for me. It will always be enough."

"I'm starting to learn that." She sighs. "It's nice though finally having someone around who thinks like me. I mean I still don't like the idea that you know me as well as you do." She says with a laugh. "... but it's nice feeling like there's finally someone out there who gets me. Not to mention that fact that this someone is my Dad."

At this he pulls his arm from her grasp and wraps it around her in one fell swoop. "Certainly took you long enough but you did find us." He says with a smile as he feels Emma sidle up to him and rest her head against his shoulder. "I always knew you would."


End file.
